Ricotta-Stuffed Arancini
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
- 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
- 1 1/4 cups arborio rice
- All-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 small onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat until softened.
- Add the rice and stir over moderately high heat until it is coated with oil and sizzling, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the wine and simmer until evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the rice to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Stir the thyme and lemon zest into the rice and season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, blend the ricotta with the Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper.
- Put 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in your moistened palm.
- Make an indentation in the center of the mound and fill it with about 1 teaspoon of the ricotta mixture.
- Fold the rice around the filling to enclose it and pat the rice into an oval.
- Repeat with the remaining rice and ricotta.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of olive oil to 300.
- Set a rack over a large baking sheet.
- Put the flour, eggs and bread crumbs in 3 shallow bowls.
- Dredge the rice ovals in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Dip the ovals in the egg, then coat with the bread crumbs.
- Deep-fry 5 ovals at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the arancini to the rack to drain while you fry the rest.
- Serve the arancini hot or warm.
salt, water, bread crumbs, extravirgin olive oil, fresh ricotta cheese, thyme, arborio rice, flour, white wine, eggs, lemon, onion, cheese
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/ricotta-stuffed-arancini (may not work)